The Symbolism And Feats Of The Old Kingdom

A notable example of Middle Kingdom rulers emulating the symbolism and feats of the kings of the Old Kingdom would be the use of aesthetics derived from the Sed festival, as well as the continuation of the festival itself, by Middle Kingdom kings. For instance, a statue of Mentuhotep II depicts him wearing the robe associated with the Sed festival. The festival itself was also celebrated by kings of the Middle Kingdom. The rulers of the Middle Kingdom may have utilized the festival as a means to continue the traditions of the Old Kingdom. In my opinion, the kings of the Middle Kingdom may have employed the applied significance of the Sed festival (which is to celebrate the continued rule of a king) to exemplify the continuation of Egypt as a kingdom.

Also, the notion that later kings built their pyramids at a certain distance from earlier pyramids in order to ensure that the size of the pyramid itself would not be diminished is something that I did not think of. In my response, I stated that later kings would build their pyramids in close proximity to the pyramids of previous

However, religious and funerary customs, as well as artistic practices, may have also been continued due to the fact that they were intrinsic to Egyptian culture. As we know, during the First Intermediate Period, religious praxis still continued. Certain images were likely consistent between the two eras, as it is highly unlikely that religious or cultural values drastically changed during the First Intermediate period. I am not sure of the degree to which the emulation of such iconography can be attributed to the intended legitimization of the Middle Kingdom as a political entity, as it was likely that much of this emulation was simply due to the perpetuation and preservation of religious and cultural